Gandaki (Muktinath)

Muktinath's importance within Hinduism is described in ancient Hindu Vishnu Purana's Gandaki Mahatmya. The ancient name of Muktinath in Sri Vaishnava literature is Tiru Salakkiramam (in Tamil : திருச்சாளக்கிராமம்). The Gandaki river, which flows downstream from Muktinath, is considered to be the only source of the shaligrama shila, the non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet. The temple is believed to have been blessed by numerous mahasiddhas.

The central shrine of Muktinath is considered by the Sri Vaishnavites to be one of the eight most sacred shrines, known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras. The others are Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, Thotadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath. The murti inside the temple is made of gold and is the size of a man. The prakaram (outer courtyard) has 108 bull faces through which water is poured, called mukti dharas (representing the sacred water from 108 Divya Desams of Sri Vaishnavism).

Muktinath is sacred to the Sri Vaishnava tradition. The deities of Vishnu and his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi, are regarded by adherents as offering jivanmukti to devotees, offering the epithet Muktinath to Vishnu. It is praised by Thirumangai Alvar in the compilation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. The river Gandaki, flowing adjacent to the temple has a kind of stone called shaligrama. The different patterns of the stone are worshiped as different forms of Vishnu. The colour white is considered as Vasudeva, black as Vishnu, green as Narayana, blue as Krishna, golden yellow & reddish yellow as Narasimha and Vamana in yellow. The stones are found in various shapes with even shapes of the Panchajanya and the Sudarshana Chakra, the attributes of Vishnu. The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekhara Alvar in one hymn. The temple is classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have contributed to it, most prominently the Alvars. Thirumangai Alvar could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pasurams from the nearest place, in praise of the deity. Periyalvar sang in praise of Vishnu as "Salagramamudaiya Nambi" (in Tamil : சாளக்கிராமம் உடைய நம்பி ; meaning "Lord of Sāḷakkirāmam").The pontiff of Srivilliputtur installed the idols of Andal (Godadevi), Ramanuja, and Manavala Mamunigal there during the yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009.

Located in: Mustang.